
FC Zürich were champions of the Swiss Super League last season under head coach André Breitenreiter (now at TSG Hoffenheim) with a commanding 14 point lead over the runners-up. The current campaign has been less successful for the club from Zürich: FCZ are currently next to bottom in the Swiss league with twelve points from 16 games.
The Werkself and FC Zürich have previously met three times. Bayer 04 secured an emphatic 5-0 win in a group match in the UEFA Cup in 2007/08. In 2018/19, there was one win each in Group A of the UEFA Europa league: FC Zürich won 3-2 at home and the Werkself secured a 1-0 victory in the return match.
Information on ticket sales will be available nearer the time on Bayer 04 club channels.
The winter timetable for the Alonso team is as follows: After the #Bayer04USATour to St. Louis from 13 to 18 November, the Werkself now have time off up to 30 November. Lukas Hradecky and Co. will then return to training in Leverkusen from 1 to 18 December. On 10 December there is a friendly away to Scottish record champions Rangers in Glasgow with the friendly against FC Zürich the last match in 2022 for Bayer 04.
The Werkself players will have time off over the festive period before returning on 3 January 2023 for the final preparations ahead of competitive matches in the New Year.

Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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Carles Martìnez is raring to go. The 42-year-old speaks in his first interview in Leverkusen about the club's development to date and how he wants to build on it. He describes his previous work in France, Kuwait, Qatar and his native Barcelona, his experience in developing young players, and the key steps between now and the start of pre-season training.
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New Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez has arrived in Leverkusen! At midday on Friday, the 42-year-old spoke in a press conference at the BayArena about his philosophy and his aims. Managing director sport Simon Rolfes also discussed the reasons for appointing the former Toulouse boss.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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